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Cruising the Kenai Fjords, Alaska

Part two of our Alaskan adventure leads us to the Kenai Peninsula and another National Park visit!

We spent the night in Girdwood at the Alyeska Resort before heading down to the Kenai Fjords. They gave us free tickets to ride the aerial tram which was lots of fun! We spent a few hours at the top hiking around and watching the clouds move over the mountains. So beautiful! In hindsight, I wish I had planned a bit more time for the Turnagain Arm and Girdwood. I really wanted to hike the Winner Creek Trail but we didn’t have time.

And onto the Kenai Fjords! Waiting to board the Alaska Explorer for a 6 hour cruise with Kenai Fjords Tours. I was actually really nervous about this boat trip because I get sick on pretty much anything that moves. There are longer tours available but 6 hours was more than enough for me! (See my tips below for how I managed to avoid getting seasick)

Heading out into Resurrection Bay, this bald eagle was perched on the dock.

Kayaks in the bay

Kenai Fjords National Park marks number 24 on my list!

We saw several humpback whales and then spotted this small group of orcas. The tour guide said they hadn’t seen orcas in over a month and we were quite lucky! I’ve never seen orcas in the wild so this was a real treat for me.

We also saw a few seals, an otter, 5 bald eagles and hundreds of puffins.

Holgate Glacier

Fun fact, 51% of Kenai Fjords National Park is covered by ice

For anyone planning a visit, here are my Kenai Fjord National Park tips;

– The only way to see this park properly is by boat. If you get motion sickness in the slightest, forget the Dramamine and call your doctor to get the Transderm patch. Along with the patch (which I put on the night before), I found that standing on the deck in the fresh air helped as well. And eyes on the horizon! Everyone always says that and it really is true. In Resurrection Bay, the water was calmer but there is a section of rough seas and quite a few people were getting sick.

– We were only in Seward for one night and stayed at the Hotel Seward. An older building with some character but more than adequate! Good sized room, free parking for our car, reasonably priced and walking distance to restaurants, shops and the Sea Bean for coffee.

– Step back into the 1970’s and try the bucket of butt (halibut!) at Thorn’s Showcase Lounge. Yum!

– Exit Glacier (the only area of the park accessible by road) is definitely worth a stop on your way in or out of Seward. We did a short hike on the Edge of Glacier trail. Heading in, several signs show you how far the glacier has retreated over the years which was eye-opening to say the least. If you don’t believe in global warming, just take one look at our melting glaciers.